Insecurity
by AussieWhovian
Summary: "A lack of transparency results in distrust and a deep sense of insecurity."-Dalai Lama When Loki orders the awakening of a young woman from a magical stasis she awakens with no records, save one. She was once a trusted advisor in the campaigns his adopted uncle once lead. In a desperate attempt to find anyone he can trust, will he end up loosing his cover?


Comely. That was the first word he thought of when he saw her appearance, nothing more than a simple handmaiden. She wore remnants of what was once palace livery, although it seemed worn enough to blend in with anything else someone of her standing would wear. For a moment he wondered how she could have received the scars on her neck, and then sought answers for her uneven tawny brown hair. He guessed her name to be simple, and wondered after the color of her eyes as his gaze passed over her long eyelashes.

Having been awakened with quite a start she rose to attention with a spring in her voice, "Prepared and Capable Your Grace!" Although her words were formal, there was no mistake she was eager, so excited to rise she neglected to even note if her master was in the room. Precisely the sort of companion he craved in the current climate. While the Lady Sif and the Warriors Three pledged their allegiance, having them close seemed selfish when, left to their own devices they yielded the most favorable results. This left him to look for other alternatives.

Strangely enough however, nothing was written about the young maiden who had been left among the relics in stasis, having not aged a day. Remembering the exchanges when he asked after Odin Allfather's missing eye, he became tempted some time ago to seek out the relics of Hoenir's campaign. The stories enveloping the time when Odin bequeathed the eye to his brother Hoenir. Coming to the realization that these stories, of a man who tore out such a powerful eye and won the battle with what resources he found himself, became the tricksters driving curiosity. There was never a mention however of a maiden or whether she even had any use.

He still remained shrouded with his magic in the observation chambers, noting how excited she was to be awake, abuzz with excitement. He spent his days as Odin Allfather he couldn't help but still lurk amongst the castle as he would have as a child. It was a comfort to him, being invisible as he was always so closely scrutinized. Perhaps it was paranoia, or something else but he always remained unsteady. After all, he had been apart from the Allfather in so long, he was unsure if he mimicked the actions correctly. Loki ignored his fear and instead focused on the young woman's progress after she was brought back to his attentions by the murmur of palace advisors.

His interest piqued when many had grown closer, only making his shrouded position more difficult to maintain. Becoming quite annoyed by the close quarters he teleported down into the room. Despite claims of a virus or any other illness that could have possibly been brought with her arrival. A pang of pity grew in his heart, as the young woman lamented. Begging for the horrible trick she maintained they were playing on her to cease as she shriveled back into the platform on which she once rested. The realization made him almost feel sorry for her, as he understood anyone she may knew was either aged or deceased.

She rose up her head breathless as she fought back tears, fighting through the tears she somehow remained with some level of composure. "Good and gentle people, I do you no harm but these things you tell me of, make it seem as if I have caused such grievous injury to all of you. What possible gain would you have from me in ruin? Was I not a faithful servant in the face of grave danger? Was I not kind and gentle to all I had meet, even my captors?." The young woman's eyes shone with desperation loosing control of her composure as she whispered, just about distraught. "Please, just don't torture me with words, strike me if you must, but please allow me to be in comfort that they live." It was then an attendant placed a gentle hand on her shoulder with a look of great pity, he lamented and assured her that no torture was committed with words. What they spoke was the truth. Squirming as if she were chained she let out the most horrible screech of despair. Rather than resort to sobs she continued screaming when all the others did was stare.

She was truly heartbroken. The woman with no name on her stasis chamber other than a description of the last battle she was reported to have seen. Captivated by her mystery, he stared at her face, studying her features when her eyes opened again, about to start crying when she came to a sudden pause. Their eyes locked. Loki froze in a panic, unable, or to scared to breathe as she tilted her head. She remained captivated for those moments after her observations he reasoned, must be obvious. She shakily rose with the assistance of an attendant still keeping her gaze locked with his own. While the others wore their own clothing, his own tattered appearance would have made his deception obvious.

He had never bothered to shield himself, from himself as he wandered the halls shrouded. The thoughts ran through his mind as she stood, but none seemed to urge him to flee despite the stressed and panic rising in the pit of his stomach. As she furthered closer with unpracticed steps his heart beat raced with the thought of being discovered. He began to slowly muster up what concentration he had to work on teleporting, setting aside his frantic mind to soon disappear. He had ended up back in the observation room when he was shrouded as an advisor, pushing others aside to set the gaze upon her before she had a chance to move. He could see her confusion for a moment, but then comfort seemed to enter her gaze, noting that where she stood was facing a portrait of Hoenir, her master.

Not wasting a moment he had excused himself from the committee to be ready in his chambers to receive the advisors with their report. Daring not to seek out more today, he paced in his chambers, soon appearing as Odin Allfather out of the air carelessly without the curtains drawn. He only kept on frantic thought in his mind as he slammed his hands on his mother's desk, gazing into her mirror. While doubt crept up, with no one to talk to, or receive counsel about the issue he so feared,

_"That was meant to be impossible." _

**A/N- Constructive reviews will be appreciated! I borrowed from several stories in Norse myths to help create some of the concepts in this story, so I sincerely hope you enjoy my twist. I have not yet choosen what style this story will be presented in, but do count on some flashbacks, and some background into events mentioned now and in future. I suspect this is already obvious, but I will state again anyway that this takes place after Thor: The Dark World. You will find more information on my theories on what happened as to cause him to take his father's place. **


End file.
